From the Sidelines
by CSIBeauty
Summary: Kelsi is tired of always looking from the sidelines as the musical draw near and it turns out, so is Ryan. After Sharpay tries to take over the show again, Kelsi refuses to be used anymore. And Ryan follows suit. Inspired by random plot bunny. Ryan/Kelsi


Kelsi looked over the music sheet she had just been working on. Mrs. Darbus had asked her to be the composer of the next musical and the work was almost overbearing. Mainly because Sharpay got the lead and kept changing things after Kelsi had worked so hard. Kelsi was already annoyed with the fact that Sharpay seemed to refuse to do any of the work, but she had got Ryan to do all of the dirty work for her. While she talked about what color she wanted her dressing room, Kelsi and Ryan were trying to fix the songs to Sharpay's liking.

Kelsi continued to work on the latest piece for the upcoming musical. It was the third song out of twelve she had to write, but she was never able to move on because there was always something Sharpay wanted to change. As Kelsi was deep in thought about how to match the tempo of the next song to the ones that Sharpay already changed, when someone walked into the music room. Kelsi looked up to see Ryan walking in the room.

"What does Sharpay want now?" Kelsi asked, groaning.

"Now she says the tempo is too fast," said Ryan, sighing.

"I have changed the tempo that song twelve times," said Kelsi. "Why can't that girl make up her mind?"

"She just enjoys watching other people do whatever she asks," said Ryan. "There was nothing wrong with the song to start with."

Kelsi grinned. "Thanks, but unfortunately, Sharpay's opinion seems to be the only one that matters."

"Mrs. Darbus doesn't want to upset her star," said Ryan, mocking. Kelsi laughed.

"Everyday I come into school I just want to quit," said Kelsi. "I want to stop doing everything Sharpay tells me and make her do all of this on her own. I'm tired of looking in from the sidelines."

"Then why don't you just quit?" Ryan asked.

"There is always something keeping me here, but I am not really sure what. Why haven't you quit yet?"

"What?" Ryan asked, confused.

"You can't really like following Sharpay around all of the time. Sharpay is always the one in the spotlight, your with me staring in from the sidelines. So why don't you quit?"

Ryan thought about the question for a moment.

"I guess because Sharpay is my sister. I have always been taught to take care of her and I have been listening to her since I was young. It's just in the family genes I guess."

"Sharpay can clearly take care of herself," said Kelsi as Sharpay just walked in the door.

"Do you have the next song written yet?" Sharpay asked, without acknowledging Ryan's presence.

"No," Kelsi replied, clearly annoyed. "How am I supposed to have time to write the other songs when you keep changing everything."

"Well. Excuse me for trying to make this the best musical yet," said Sharpay, faking being hurt.

"If you were really trying to make this the best musical you would be doing some of the work," said Kelsi. "Instead of forcing others to do it for you."

"I haven't forced anything," said Sharpay innocently.

"You're always forcing others to do what you don't want to bother to do," said Ryan. "And we're getting tired of it."

Sharpay stared in shock at her brother. Kelsi grinned.

"You can't push people around all the time, Sharpay," Ryan added. "Eventually they push back."

"I thought you both liked working with me," said Sharpay.

"It's more like working for you, but without the pay," said Kelsi. "And I for one am tired of looking from the sidelines."

"Me too," Ryan added.

"Well, fine," said Sharpay. "I don't need you. I'll hire my own composer and I'm sure there are plenty of other people who would be willing to help me with the musical."

"Not for long with the way you treat people," said Ryan.

Sharpay glared at the two before stomping out of the room. Kelsi was surprised the Ryan actually stood up for her and himself. She grinned and turned away, going back to her music.

"What are you smiling about?" Ryan asked.

"It's nothing," Kelsi replied, unable to stop smiling.

"If you say so,"

Ryan began to walk out of the room, but stopped suddenly turning around. Kelsi looked up at him confused as he began to approach her. Before Kelsi could speak, she felt his lips touch hers briefly.

"Thank you," he said, simply before beginning to walk away.

"For what?" Kelsi asked, confused.

"For helping me stand up to my sister," he replied, before walking out the door.

Kelsi grinned, getting back to her music.


End file.
